"Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?" - Lao Zi
Only when the water is clear and the mud has settled can we make clear decisions and base our actions on clarity.
What is clarity? Clarity is when the pure has been separated from the turbid, when a surface has been wiped clean and the dark water has washed off and flushed down the drain. What is left behind are shimmering floor tiles reflecting perfectly the space around them. You can describe the room by looking into the tiles as well as by looking at the room itself.
Having this clarity there is no need for thought because there is a direct perception of what is and seeing what is naturally leads directly to action. What is, is often clouded by the countless thoughts floating aimlessly in our minds like clumps of mud thrown about by a rapidly swimming and thrashing heart.
For effective qigong practice one needs to Cultivate a calm heart. Energy work requires the careful study of very subtle forces (such as Qi) silently and secretly going about their business within and around us regardless of whether we choose to notice them or not. Do you want to peer into this shy and fascinating world of vibrant vitality just waiting to share it's life with you?! Let your heart slow down. Let the waves settle until you can see your own reflection on the water's crystalline surface.
Action based on chaos is destructive.
Action based on clarity leads to harmony.